Fumigating-rack.



" G T. HULL.

FUMIGATING RACK.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25. 1918.

1 326.505. Patented Dec. 30, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

G. T. HULL.

FUIVHGATING RACK:

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25. I918.

1326,505. P afented Dec. 30, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

WITNESSES Qwuewtoz lll llTED @TATEQ PATENT UFFTE GEORGE TAYLOR HULL, 0F TULSA, OKLAHOMA.

FUIVIIGATING-RACK.

Application filed July 25, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon T. HULL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tulsa, in the county of Tulsa and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fumigating-Racks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pushing and pulling implements and more especially to those of the stretcher type; and the object of the same is to produce a rack in which comparatively large articles of fabric and the like may be stretched or held while they are being fumigated. It is well known that the present system for fumigating rugs, car pets, and the like, as applied to those taken from a building wherein there has been a contagious or infectious disease, is not satisfactory; because the same process or processes which are employed for cleaning carpets by removing the dust and dirt therein have not been found practically useful in the process of disinfection, and it is well known that a carpet cannot be fumigated when it lies on the floor. Theoretically the carpet or rug must be stretched so that its meshes are to an extent opened to permit the passage of the fumes through them, and this of course does not take place while the carpet lies on the floor or while it is being tumbled about in a carpet cleaning machine. Again. the fumes from the disinfecting device should pass transversely through the carpet or run while its meshes are stretched to permit. For these and other reasons a demand exists for a rack in which fabric articles can be suspended and stretched while they are fumigated from beneath.

It is the purpose of the present invention to produce such a rack. and the details thereof are more fully set forth in the following specification and claims, reference being made to the drawings wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of a rack embodying my invention. showing a rug stretched therein,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the rack alone,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail of a portion of the rack showing its telescopic features.

By preference I employ about six or eight base plates 1 whereof each has an upstanding tubular socket 2. and in the socket is mounted a leg composed of a lower tubular member 3 and an upper member 4. which may be solid or tubular but which slides into Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 30, 1919.

Serial I-To. 246,742.

the lower member as best seen at the left of *ig. 3. One member such as the uppermostmay be provided with a number of holes 5 and the other member with a single hole 6 (or perhaps with a. number of holes if clesired) and through registering holes is passed a pin 7 illustrated in Fig. 3 as slightly removed. However, I do not wish to be limited to this precise means of holding the members after they have been telescopically adjusted one within the other. The lower end of the lower member 3 by preference fits removably in the socket 2 so that the parts can be separated, and the upper end of the upper member 4 may be screwed into or otherwise detachably connected with conplings which may be of plain T-form as seen at 8 in Fig. 3 or may be right angular elbows 9 with depending elements for engagement with said upper members for use at the corners of the frame.

The frame itself is also made up of telescopie members. Certain of these are tubit lar as shown at 13, and others may be solid or tubular but are smaller so that they will slide into the tubular members 13. I would prefer that the smaller members 14 be connected with the couplings S and 9 and project in both directions from them, and that the larger or tubular members 13 slide over them as best illustrated in Fig. 3. I would prefer also that the entire structure be made of galvanized iron,'tubing being used where possible. I have spoken above of six base plates 1 and legs rising therefrom, and six be suflicient with carpets and rugs of ordinary size, but in Fig. 1 I have shown eight supports. However, I do not wish to be limited to their number. obviously arranged on its several supports as shown in 1, and means may be provided suchlas the set screw 12 for prevent ing the collapse of the members of the frame under tension. If set screws are employed as fastening means, they may be threaded through the tubular outer members 14 and their tips will contact with the inner members 13. Here again I do not wish to be limited to the specific form of fastening means.

For supporting the carpet or rug indicated by the letter R, collars 20 are provided, each having an inwardly projecting arm 21 carrying a pulley 23. These collars may be of a size to loosely inclose the tubular members 13 of the frame, and in which case they will be held thereon against move- The frame is ment by any appropriate fastening means such as the set screw indicated at 22 in Fig. 1. At the mid-length of the side bars in this view I have shown arms 21 as project inofrom the T-cou alin s 8 and carr in r the H b b pulleys 23, but if the pulley-supports are mounted on couplings 8 and 9 it is obvious that they cannot be adjusted and therefore it may perhaps be better to use collars as 10 indicated at 22, and employ the arms 21 only at the mid-length of certain bars of the frame, if at all. Clamps 25 are now employed for engaging the carpet or rug at its corners or along its edges, and each clamp has an arm 26 carrying a pulley 27. The

clamps are applied to the rug at such points that they will be out of exapt register with the arms carrying the pulleys 23, preferably disposed midway between them as seen along the right side of Fig. 1. A rope or cord 30 is now rove alternately around the pulleys 27 and 23. Starting in at the point 31, this rope is carried along one side of the rug and led back and forth over the pulleys referred to, at the upper right hand corner of Fig. 3 it passes around the pulley near the post or support and then inward around a pulley 27 whose clamp is attached to the rug, and then outward as at 32,

30 and around another pulley quite near the corner so that the two stretches 33 and 32 of the cord or rope are practically parallel. Thence the cord is led along the upper bar shown in Fig. 1, in similar manner past the 35 next corner and the next, along the lower bar in this view and around the pulley 23 and finally away as at 34 near the point 31 of starting. When now the two ends of this cord or rope are drawn upon, it is put under tension throughout its entire length and the carpet or rug is stretched rather taut within the frame and supported substantially in a horizontal position at that distance above the floor which is considered 11 ior' "ain cista o ecessar fumig t g, the l nce f so may now be placed on the floor beneath the stretched rug, and its fumes allowed to ascend against the under side of said rug. If the latterbe drawn sufficiently taut to open its mesh somewhat as described, the fumes will pass through the mesh of the rug and perform their work successfully. The entire operation may take place in a closed room or in a boX or cabinet especially designed for this purpose, and either may be air tight so that the fumes can not escape. In that event, the rug may be permitted to remain stretched and subjected to the fumes as long as thought to be necessary. l/Vhile I have shown in Fig. 3 that the fumigation may take place by putting a device beneath the rug and allowing fumes to ascend, it is of course possible to treat the rug by fumes applied in any manner or by spray or liquid or otherwise, and I reserve the widest latitude in this respect.

The foregoing description and the drawings have reference to what may be considered the preferred, or approved form of my invention. It is to be understood that I may make such changes in construction and arrangement and combination of parts, materials, dimensions, et cetra, as may prove expedient and fall within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a fumigating rack, the combination with a frame made up of side and end bars whereof each is composed of a series of relatively smaller members with interposed couplings, larger members slidably inclosing the smaller members and adjustable tele scopically thereon, and fastening means for holding the members after adjustment, of a series of supporting legs whereof, each is made up of a tubular lower member having a perforation, a base plate at its lower end, a smaller upper member telescoping into the tubular lower member and having a series of perforations, its upper end being connected with one of said couplings, and a pin adapted to pass through alined perforations, of a series of clamps adapted to be engaged with the edge of the carpet to be stretched, arms projecting outwardly from the clamps, pulleys carried by these arms and a rope roved alternately over the pul leys of the two series.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in. presence'of two witnesses.

DR. GEORGE TAYLOR HULL.

Witnesses:

WooDsoN E. NoRvnLL, H. (l. GOODLON. 

